The leading index for Japan, which measures the future economic activity, increased as expected in April, preliminary figures from the Cabinet Office showed Friday.
The leading index rose to 107.2 in April from 106.0 in the previous month. The latest reading matched economists' expectations. This was the second consecutive rise in the index reading.
The latest reading marked the highest since March 2014, when the score was 107.5.
The coincident index that reflects the current economic activity increased to 111.1 in April from 109.2 in March. This was the first increase after two consecutive declines.
The lagging index, which indicates the past economic activity, came in at 121.4 in April, up from 118.8 in the preceding month.
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April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.